Another fireball ca my way as I considered my different courses of action.
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased significantly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased significantly.]
I raised an eyebrow at the System Prompts. The fireballs that had done ’great’ damage all this ti, now only did ’significant’ damage. It only further convinced that baiting for the beasts attacks was too slow.
I could hear the party’s voices discussing my actions, but I didn’t waste ti listening. I dashed back in, using the sa move from earlier on the Toad’s other front leg, holding up the sword and letting my montum carry it through the elbow joint.
The Toad staggered, losing its balance, but this ti I circled past its hind legs, straight to its rear-end, and dashed back inwards, leaping atop its fire-wreathed back.
It convulsed the mont I landed, bucking and twisting in a frenzy, trying to hurl off. I speared Freya’s sword straight into its hide, clinging on as its back arched and jolted beneath , the flas roasting alive.
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased significantly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased significantly.]
And now, all I had to do...was hold on.
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased significantly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased significantly.]
Every second that passed raised my Fire Resistance.
Though I had decided to tune out the Hunters’ discussion about my battle, Freya said sothing that caught my attention.
"He’s not fighting it. He’s using it."
So she has realized.
Arthur opened his mouth to protest, "He’s barely holding out---" but Freya interjected, "Look closer. He’s taking less and less damage with every second that passes."
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased significantly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased significantly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased significantly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased significantly.]
[The Skill [Fire Resistance VII] has been upgraded to [Fire Resistance VIII].]
The burns were now only strong enough to disfigure my skin, not the slightest sign of blackening visible. I was getting close now.
"All Hells, the lad’s actually taking less damage," I heard Gerard say, "But even still...the only way for that to happen is if he’s continuing to upgrade a Resistance Skill... it’s just not possible. It takes YEARS to evolve Resistances. This is known. How is he doing it?"
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased significantly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased significantly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased significantly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased significantly.]
"His gift." said Freya simply.
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased significantly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased significantly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased significantly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased significantly.]
Arthur spoke up this ti, his voice carrying realization and disbelief, "His gift... it doesn’t just heal him, does it? It’s not re regeneration. It’s adaptation."
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased significantly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased significantly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased significantly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased significantly.]
The voices stopped for a mont, before Gerard repeated, "Adaptation... at a rate like this..."
[The Skill [Fire Resistance VIII] has been upgraded to [Fire Resistance IX].]
"...the lad’s gift would, at the very least, have to be at the S Rank..."
"No." replied Freya.
"No?"
"SSS Rank." she said, her voice low, "At the very least, his gift is SSS Ranked."
SSS Rank? Is that what the question marks indicate? I didn’t ask because I wasn’t sure if it was normal...
I pushed away those thoughts and returned my focus to the task at hand. The Toad was really panicking now. It thrashed blindly, its massive body smashing apart trees as flas poured off it in waves.
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased slightly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased slightly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased slightly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased slightly.]
Only slight increases now. It’s so close. I can feel it.
The licks only felt like I was holding onto that large tal sheet Gerard had cooked with. A "pan" he called it.
It was nothing compared to the agony I’d endured all this ti, but being cooked alive was still as excruciating as ever. The speed of the cooking wouldn’t change that, and my hate for the sensation was no lesser.
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased slightly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased slightly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased slightly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased slightly.]
But with every System Prompt, that sensation weakened.
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased slightly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased slightly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased slightly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased slightly.]
It softened.
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased slightly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased slightly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased slightly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased slightly.]
And it continued to do so.
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased slightly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased slightly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased slightly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased slightly.]
A minute passed. Then Ten. Then twenty. Thirty. Until finally...
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased slightly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased slightly.]
[The Skill [Fire Resistance IX] has been upgraded to [Fire Resistance X].]
...there was no longer any pain at all.
Just a fleeting warmth. A subtle pressure, almost comforting, like warm water washing over .
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[Fire Resistance X] (Bronze)
Per Level of Fire Resistance, gain 10% Damage Negation against all flas classified within the Bronze Rank.
Current Damage Negation: 100%
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
100% Damage Negation...
The sight of it was enough to send my mind into a spiral of joy and satisfaction, but it also brought to another realization. If I could no longer take fire damage from a Squall Class, then the only way to have it evolve to the Silver Rank... was to fight a Tremor-Class.
I jumped off the beast’s back, making sure to pull Freya’s sword free alongside .
I had extorted this Toad for all it could offer . It was ti to end this.
Ignoring the fireballs that couldn’t so much as singe the hairs of my skin, I surged forward, ducking and jumping over the slight annoyance that was its erratic whip-like tongue, until I landed beside its head and dragged Freya’s blade across its wide, leathery neck, slicing its throat right open.
Blood and fire spilled out together, and the beast, after the most grueling hour of its life, finally collapsed, heaving rushed breaths as it bled out.
Silence fell, and a new feeling ca over .
I walked up to it slowly, and placed a hand atop its head, staring into its blinded eyes. And though I knew it couldn’t see , and that it probably couldn’t understand , I badly wanted it to know sothing.
"You fought well, Beast."
I didn’t understand why I wanted it to know this, only that I did.
"If it was not for my own luck, to have been given this gift, this body... I would be dead many tis over."
The beast’s breaths slowed, and a solemnity washed over .
"Rest now."
Its chest stilled and silence followed.
For a while, I rely stood there, staring into the beast’s eyes. What was this feeling? It was more than just empathy. There was a certain sadness. But also a sense of respect. A sense of recognition.
"Honor."
Gerard’s voice broke out of my thoughts. The giant of a man stood right beside , his axe planted into the ground as he too, looked down at the beast just as I had.
"You don’t understand it, I can tell, but I felt it in your words, boy. Saw it in your eyes. Your gratitude for the fight, for what you gained, along with that urge to acknowledge your opponents efforts. It is called honor."
"Honor..." I whispered back.
Gerard clapped a hand on my shoulder, "It was a good fight, lad."
Then, tapping twice more, "Co. The party is waiting on you."
I turned to look up at Gerard, and then at Freya and Arthur behind , who seed to be looking at expectantly. There was a subtle difference in their temperants.
Before, despite their jokes and their playful banter, there had always been sothing else underneath it. Sothing faint.
I’d constantly catch them staring at , studying . I didn’t know why that was, but the way they stared back now was different.
It was warr, when before there was a slight doubt, a slight hostility. I’d realized it in that first battle with the wolves, after Freya’s outburst.
Why were they helping ? Teaching ? About the world, the ranks, beasts, skills, and about combat? Why do all that, even though they stood to gain nothing? I didn’t know. But seeing the look in their eyes now, I had a good feeling I was about to find out.
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